Merri-bek men’s fitness classes an exercise in building relationships
- deansimpson7
- Oct 3
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 3
BY LERISSE SMITH
Single men often feel isolated and unheard in society.
But an exciting new pilot program at Merri-bek City Salvos has shattered that silence with laughter, connection ... and a few sore muscles!
The five-week ‘Made to Move’ exercise program initiative has been a resounding success helping local men shift from isolation to meaningful connection, using group fitness as a powerful catalyst for community and support.
“It has exceeded expectations,” says Melody Lamb, Community Engagement Ministry Worker, who spearheaded the initiative through her role at the Salvos Community Connect space.
“With the pilot, we wanted to be very flexible because you are dealing with a whole lot of different personalities and a whole lot of different people with different needs. It’s also about budget and other restraints, so, we kept it really grassroots. But the relationships have been really worth it, and the growth in the men has been amazing.”
A simple observation from Melody initially sparked the vision for creating the pilot – that single men were increasingly attending community breakfasts, table tennis, and other activities at the corps, but not connecting with one another.
Her response was simple but powerful: to create a space for movement, connection and healing through exercise.
“I got to know each one’s story,” she reflected.
“A lot of them had mental health issues and suffered from isolation, and that is why they were coming – just to be around people. So, I said, ‘Well, how would you feel about doing an exercise program? Exercise is actually so good for your mental health.’ They were all keen, so I set that up and ran it past my line manager. She thought it was a great idea. And then we went through all the proper procedures and started the first pilot to see if it was going to actually be something that would help and be beneficial. We made it five weeks, so it was realistic for the guys to commit.”
What started as a vision soon turned into a structured program supported by the corps, committed volunteers and a local personal trainer. Sessions were kept simple with bodyweight exercises, mats and a whiteboard to track the men’s progress.
Each weekly session lasted approximately 45 minutes, followed by some downtime, a brief chat with the trainer, refreshments, and, most importantly, connection and camaraderie.
And the participant feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
One participant aged in his 50s had been out of work for approximately six months due to mental health issues and trauma. At first, he couldn’t even walk through the door. He commented to Melody that he would come to the corps and “psych myself up” to come in, but sometimes, he said, “I couldn’t.”
There were days when all he could do was sit and look at the wall, unable to speak or make eye contact. But gradually, week by week, things shifted, and he was able to converse with the other guys and volunteers.
Another participant also shared a profound comment that stuck in Melody’s mind.
“What you guys are doing here has been better than any of the mental health experts have done for me,” he told Melody. Her reaction? “For me, it was whoa! ... that’s a massive statement,” she says. “People in the mental health field are so overworked, underpaid and doing the best that they can; however, they are completely overwhelmed, and for some people, the system is just not the right fit for them. They can feel rejected in that space.”
There have been some lighter moments, too.
One participant who had not done exercise in a long time informed her that he did not want to let her down, but could not continue with the class. And the reason? Sore muscles!
“He came the first week, and then the second week and then he said, ‘I don't want to let you down, but my body actually really hurts and I don’t think I can continue coming’,” Melody recalls.
“I was giggling to myself because, of course, their body hurts as they were all going for it and pushing themselves really hard on that first day. I said to him, ‘It was really natural that everyone’s body is hurting and brought one of the other guys into the conversation from the group who said they could barely walk either – and it really shifted something, and they began to speak up and share their thoughts with each other.”
This then led to two participants, Luke and Michael, being buddied up to encourage each other while exercising. They encouraged each other to push through together, right to the end, Melody explained, adding that Luke encouraged Michael to keep going and push through. Then the next week, Michael encouraged Luke to keep going after he hit the wall and wanted to quit, remarking, “I will do it with you.”
Witnessing a special friendship develop between the two men has been one of the many rewards for the corps team.
The exercise component was beneficial, but it wasn’t the ultimate objective. It was to build those relationships.
“The greatest impact of the pilot program has definitely been the community and inclusiveness," Melody says.
“The friendships that they’ve all bonded, it’s continued. It has just made our community bigger because they’ve built community within the community. The biggest impact is also to see these men now signing up to be volunteers, turning up every week, talking to each other, championing each other, crying with each other, forgiving each other, just doing life together has been the best. That has been the biggest impact."
There is also evidence of real transformation.
The men now don’t have to psych themselves up to visit the corps. They are around people, look people in the eyes, Melody remarked, and they have proper conversations and want to think beyond their problems and move forward with life.
The good news has continued. One man is signing up to study next year. Others are volunteering. They are setting goals, making plans – and they are dreaming.
“They actually have goals and hopes for the future and can’t wait to share them,” Melody emphasised. “Instead of their lives getting smaller, and all they can see is the pain, they are pushing through that, and they are doing it together.”
Some of the men also talk openly about their medication now - something that used to be off-limits.
“These men talk about their medication and talk with each other about it because it’s hard for them with the medications and managing the medications,” she remarked. “They are actually able to come to some kind of resolution on how to sort of push through and not get stuck in the frustration of it all.”
A special celebration to mark the end of the five-week initiative took place recently, featuring a small ceremony and certificates, which celebrated the growth each participant had achieved – not only in fitness, but also in confidence, camaraderie and resilience.
The hope now is to roll out the program again in the future at Merri-bek, if resources allow, as well as in other Salvos spaces, tailored to fit the needs of each community. There is already interest from other demographics and other churches. Melody hopes that other corps will adopt the program, recognising its numerous benefits.
“It has just been really positive all round,” Melody says. “It is about empowering the community to empower each other. It is actually 100 per cent the reason why we did this. It would be really good to see others bring this program to their community and tailor it around their community’s needs. It will grow their people – and it will strengthen their community.”
WATCH MORE: View a video of the Made to Move program on Instagram here
